Paying Attention To Multivitamins

A recent survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition found that 68% of Americans use dietary supplements, and 82% of them take a multivitamin. Got that? The multivitamin users among you probably did. A completely separate study conducted with 81 children found that attention task performance increased noticeably within 3 hours of taking a multi. This research, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, spanned 12 weeks and recorded a significant boost in attention among vitamin-taking kids, average age 11.

The Bigger Picture: Although it's difficult to draw conclusions from a single study, multivitamins appear to present some very useful, not to mention immediate, benefits. Whether the fact had any bearing on the research is unknown, but vitamins and essential minerals, collectively known as micronutrients, help your body more effectively process the macronutrients protein, fat and carbohydrates. If you're active and eating right, that's reason enough to invest in this cost-effective nutritional insurance.